Scouting Report

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 45 | Run: 30 | Arm: 50 | Field: 40 | Overall: 40

Sanabria was selected by the Padres in the 18th round of the 2022 Draft after two years at Indiana River State (Fla.) JC, and he signed for only $50,000 to go pro. His breakout season came in 2024 when he climbed three levels while leading the San Diego organization in on-base percentage (.396) and doubles (30), and he earned a look in the prospect-heavy Arizona Fall League after that. Sanabria got off to a hot start with Double-A San Antonio in ’25 but wilted after June, finishing with a .257/.309/.376 line and 12 homers in 119 games.

Sanabria became a good amount more aggressive in his more extended stay in the Texas League, jumping his full-season swing rate from 42.3 percent in ‘25 to 49.3 in ’26. His chase rate, as you’d expect, also took a jump, particularly against fastballs and sliders, and that took away one of his strengths as a high-OBP type. There is raw power here, and the Padres are hoping improved strength and conditioning help the left-handed slugger show it in games over the course of a long season in the warm Texas (or eventually San Diego) sun after the way his results fell off last season.

After a very brief dalliance with catching in 2022, Sanabria has been locked in at first base as a professional, and that’s where he’ll remain with well-below-average speed. He simply has to hit at that position to make himself a Major Leaguer, even as part of a platoon at the cold corner. Now in his age-24 season, Sanabria has already been overlooked in the Rule 5 process, both on the 40-man roster and the Draft itself.

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 45 | Run: 30 | Arm: 50 | Field: 45 | Overall: 40

Sanabria played two years at Indian River State (Fla.) JC and slashed .400/.471/.578 as a sophomore in 2022. The Padres took him in the 18th round that July and signed him for just $50,000. He slowly solidified himself on the prospect radar and enjoyed a breakout season in 2024 in which he climbed three full-season levels from Single-A to Double-A. He finished with a .288/.396/.427 line, 11 homers and 30 doubles over 125 games. He led the organization in on-base percentage and two-baggers and finished second in average and hits (130). Sanabria got in 15 extra games in the Arizona Fall League, where he batted .276 with a .709 OPS.

From the left side, Sanabria looks relaxed at the plate and hits out of an open stance before getting in line with a leg kick. He ran a solid in-zone contact rate in 2024, and while he’ll whiff at the occasional secondary, he can handle fastballs well. When he gets beat, it tends to be toward the outside half. With typical solid plate discipline, he’s been a solid OBP producer, and some in the organization are wondering when or if he’ll stop hitting. That said, it’s hit-over-power right now. He topped out with a 109.1 mph exit velocity in the Fall League, but typically his pop plays best in the gaps.

Sanabria got some brief catching experience after signing, but as a 30-grade runner, he’s basically locked into first base. Improving his footwork over there will be a priority moving forward, so that he can provide value beyond what he shows in the box. Generating more power would also help his case to be a future starter at the cold corner.

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 50 | Run: 30 | Arm: 50 | Field: 45 | Overall: 40

Sanabria played two years at Indian River State (Fla.) JC and slashed .400/.471/.578 with four homers and a 28/30 K/BB ratio in his final spring as a sophomore in 2022. The Padres selected him in the 18th round that summer and signed him for only $50,000. Sanabria has fought for his place since, opening his first full season in the Arizona Complex League and then getting the bulk of this spring at Single-A Lake Elsinore, where he slashed .311/.433/.493 with eight homers and more walks (48) than strikeouts (46) in 59 games. San Diego promoted him to High-A Fort Wayne in late June.

The left-handed slugger looks relaxed at the plate, starting with a slightly open stance before opening a leg kick that allows him to lift and pull on the ball. He’s worked high walk rates and on-base percentages at every stop up the chain, and he has the strength to reach 20 homers when given a full season of at-bats. He’s started to get a little more exposed at High-A, however, as his K rate has crept up and he’s hitting more harmless infield flies instead of driving the ball toward the grass.

Sanabria needs to hit because he’s limited to first base defensively with well-below-average speed. He was actually drafted as a catcher but played only six professional games there in 2022 before moving to the cold corner permanently the following year. His progression from such a low pick has made for a fun journey through the Padres pipeline, but Double-A will prove a real test of whether Sanabria can break through to the top level someday.

Awards

AFL Rising Stars

Year	Team
2024

Baseball America Low Class A All-Star

Year	Team
2024

CAL Post-Season All-Star

Year	Team
2024

MiLB.com Organization All-Star

Year	Team
2023

ACL Post-Season All-Star

Year	Team
2023

ACL Most Valuable Player

Year	Team
2023

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	03/05/2026	1B Romeo Sanabria assigned to San Diego Padres Prospects.
	02/04/2026	San Diego Padres invited non-roster 1B Romeo Sanabria to spring training.
	03/06/2025	activated 1B Romeo Sanabria.
	02/07/2025	San Diego Padres invited non-roster 1B Romeo Sanabria to spring training.
	11/08/2024	National League Fall Stars activated 1B Romeo Sanabria.
	09/25/2024	1B Romeo Sanabria assigned to Peoria Javelinas.
	08/06/2024	1B Romeo Sanabria assigned to San Antonio Missions from Fort Wayne TinCaps.
	08/06/2024	San Antonio Missions activated 1B Romeo Sanabria.
	08/06/2024	San Antonio Missions activated 1B Romeo Sanabria.
	06/19/2024	C Romeo Sanabria assigned to Fort Wayne TinCaps from Lake Elsinore Storm.
	03/14/2024	C Romeo Sanabria assigned to San Diego Padres Prospects.
	08/21/2023	C Romeo Sanabria assigned to Lake Elsinore Storm from ACL Padres.
	07/28/2022	ACL Padres activated C Romeo Sanabria.
	07/28/2022	C Romeo Sanabria assigned to ACL Padres.
	07/28/2022	San Diego Padres signed C Romeo Sanabria.
	07/28/2022	ACL Padres activated C Romeo Sanabria.
	05/09/2022	C Romeo Sanabria and assigned to College Workout.
	10/09/2021	C Romeo Sanabria, and assigned to High School Workout.
	10/09/2021	C Romeo Sanabria assigned to High School Workout.